Chemical Composition: ICP-MS/AAA data from sample, Leaded Bronze:
Cu, 75.61; Sn, 4.48; Pb, 18.68; Zn, 0.008; Fe, 0.03; Ni, 0.14; Ag, 0.12; Sb, 0.28; As, 0.58; Bi, 0.061; Co, 0.014; Au, less than 0.01; Cd, less than 0.001
J. Riederer
Technical Observations: The patina is generally dark green and brown with a slightly lumpy upper layer, which has largely been lost, revealing a slightly pitted underlayer that is lighter in color. There are tan burial accretions on the undersides of handle. Areas of light green and whitish powdery corrosion may be bronze disease. Some exposed metal evident in worn or abraded areas.
Four structural cracks are present: two on one of the upper bracket arms, and two on one of the lobes of the palmette at the bottom of the handle. Otherwise the handle is structurally sound. The surface has been disrupted showing loss of the upper patina.
The bronze handle is solid and cast in one piece. Three attachment holes—two at the top and one at the bottom—seem to have been formed in the model prior to casting. The hole at the bottom has a bronze rivet with its head hammered on the surface and its pin broken and deformed on the reverse. The top of the handle has a groove to fit on the rim of the vessel. There is no evidence of cold working on the front, and there is an excess of unfinished metal in a few places on the reverse.
Carol Snow and Nina Vinogradskaya (submitted 2002)
